And not long after that, the two really did meet summer vacation.
The summer break of their second year of high school. It could truly be called their last freedom.
Soon they would have to begin preparing in earnest for their third year and the college entrance exam. In that sense, though it was called “freedom” earlier, it couldn’t truly be freedom. Some had already started preparing long ago, and were even speeding up even more during vacation.
But here, in this place.
Strangely, there was someone enjoying “real freedom” alone, going against such trends. As everyone would expect, it was Hwan. When the sun was high in the sky, he’d wake up late and roll around in his room reading comics and playing games. It went without saying that he lived with his phone attached.
“I hear rumors are rampant in the palace that you’re having quite a fun time these days.”
Then he was ultimately dragged all the way to Bihyeongak, the Crown Prince’s office, which was the current situation.
Even knowing he hadn’t been summoned for praise, Hwan’s attitude before Kang, his eldest brother and the Crown Prince, was excessively confident. He sat sprawled on a chair with his legs stretched out, making a listless face.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
It was a nasty temperament, deliberately acting contrary even though he knew Kang hated such things.
“Your thinking that there’s no problem is quite remarkable?”
However, Kang didn’t back down either, responding in a tone that said he wasn’t surprised at all, contrary to his words.
Then he looked at him with a gaze just as cold as Hwan’s, so they really were unstoppable brothers. The power struggle between the two that continued for a long time honestly wasn’t a day or two old so there wasn’t much emotion about it, but it was true that only Huiseo, who had been called along for no reason, looked uncomfortable.
Eventually, a small clearing cough came from Huiseo.
Then the fierce energy between the two that had been taut immediately deflated. Though it was just a single cough, as if they were children who’d been scolded, Hwan subtly straightened his posture and sat up, and Kang, who must have been thinking he should have maintained more dignity as the older brother, rolled his eyes in embarrassment.
Eventually, with a sigh, it was from that moment that Kang revealed the real reason he’d summoned Hwan and Huiseo here.
“I need you to take charge of this.”
As he said that, Kang pushed a sheet of paper across the table between them.
Seeing it, Hwan’s face first crumpled.
Not only was he not particularly friendly with paper to begin with, but the expression “take charge” made him uneasy. He felt like it would be tiring. With such thoughts, only after a moment of silence and hesitation did he reluctantly reach out and take the paper.
Then, as expected.
After confirming the letters written at the very top of the paper, Hwan’s expression crumpled even more mercilessly.
<Request for Imperial Cooperation in University Student Farm Assistance Volunteer Activity>
“…Why are you showing this to me?”
Hwan asked in a tone beyond bewildered to absurd.
Of course, he knew such events had been ongoing all along.
In the past when agriculture was most important, there was a system called “Chinkyeong (親耕)” where the king farmed directly. Originating from that, though they no longer farmed directly, they went to the countryside as an annual event like this for volunteer activities with students.
In recent years, instead of the Emperor, either Crown Prince Kang or Second Prince Ho, who was most age-appropriate, had taken on that task.
‘But why this year?’
Hwan couldn’t understand why on earth this had come to him.
“Didn’t something change? It seems like what would go to Hyung Ho came to me?”
“Yeah, no. I’m certain.”
He tried to protest in his own way, but at Kang’s firm attitude that didn’t work at all, Hwan ultimately raised his voice.
“Ah, I don’t want to! Why are you doing this to me?”
He was just Third Prince, not the Emperor, not the Crown Prince, not even Second Prince, so what was he supposed to do going there?
“What do you expect me to do! Get someone else!”
Before Hwan, who was jumping up and down, Kang smiled coldly.
“Is there anyone in the palace more free than you right now?”
“That’s…!”
When asked like that, he couldn’t quite refute it.
‘Someone more free than me…?’
If even one person came to mind, he would have dumped it on them right away. Seeing that “one person” really didn’t come to mind, it seemed Kang’s words were true. Hwan firmly closed his whining mouth and glared at Kang instead.
Fine, he admitted it. That he was the most free.
But no matter how free and bored he was to the point of writhing, he didn’t want to go out to the fields himself in this heat, under this blazing sun, and suffer unnecessarily.
“Even so, this is…!”
It was the moment when Hwan was about to charge at him once more, thinking this really wasn’t acceptable.
“For that reason, you’ll have to suffer a bit.”
Before Hwan’s words could even finish, Kang struck first. This brother, really. Just as Hwan’s lips twisted in disbelief, Kang’s head turned slightly to the side with an affectionate call added.
“Huiseo-ya.”
For a moment, the area below Hwan’s eyes trembled.
No, really, this is funny.
“…Why are you saying that to Huiseo?”
What kind of scheme is this?
What Kang was doing now could be described exactly like that. Hwan’s breath became rough in disbelief. From the tone that was worlds different from when speaking to him, he was extremely irritated and uncomfortable.
‘What’s with the greasy voice?’
‘Why is he acting nice?’
‘Why is he making a fuss acting friendly with Huiseo!’
His noisy heart showed plainly on his sullen face.
Hwan knew. Though he himself had also been with Huiseo for a long time since they were young, in fact Kang and Huiseo had known each other even before that, even longer than himself.
Was that why? Even Kang, who could be called the strongest old fogey among the people he knew, was particularly soft with Huiseo. Likewise, Huiseo, who sometimes acted prickly enough to be hurtful toward him, always followed along obediently only when dealing with Kang.
Hwan didn’t like that very much.
Of course, it wasn’t that there was anything particularly new between the two. A reliable friend, or colleague. He dared to guess it was around that level. Still, Hwan, who wanted to be the best to Huiseo above anyone else, got angry when he saw the two being friendly.
‘…I’m jealous.’
Hwan’s lower lip stuck out.
His mood became even more contrary to that extent, so no matter how much they coaxed Huiseo, he snorted that he absolutely wouldn’t go. But in the meantime, the explanation Kang continued while holding onto Huiseo seemed somehow ominous.
“Most of the people coming to volunteer are university students. Since they’ll know better than us about university life and future careers and such. It would be good if you asked about things you’ve been curious about.”
Hearing such words, Hwan couldn’t help but make an “oops” expression of being caught off guard.
‘This sly brother.’
So this was his intention?
‘No, then how do I refuse this?’
Just as he couldn’t hide his troubled look, Kang finally turned toward Hwan with a smile. That couldn’t be more infuriating, but remarkably, the words that followed were even worse.
“So Hwan, you said you won’t go? Then it can’t be helped. Ho, or… though it’s difficult, somehow I’ll make time and I’ll…”
So Hwan also ultimately had no choice but to jump up from his seat with the feeling of crying while eating mustard.
Where is this person trying to pull another scheme!
“There’s no way the very busy Crown Prince can go!”
I’ll go!
There was no other way around it.
***
“…It’s hot.”
Time passed, and that day really came.
Standing under the blazing midsummer sun burning fiercely, Hwan’s impression was only that.
Since long-distance travel had budget and personnel issues, they kept up appearances at a nearby farm in Gyeonggi Province. Wearing matching white shirts with the university students who came to volunteer together and moving around in a group, it looked quite plausible from the outside.
However, the fact that there was no air conditioning or even a fan, not even shade, and the only thing to rely on was the straw hat he was currently wearing was as difficult as expected. Even standing still made breathing difficult, and thinking about having to squat down and dig up potatoes afterward made Hwan’s mind distant.
“…I want to go home.”
It was when he was muttering like that, dazed, even stretching out his words.
Huiseo came up beside Hwan.
“Did you put on sunscreen?”
“No.”
At the answer that came readily as if it were obvious, Huiseo’s fine brow furrowed.
However, his hands moved steadily in the opposite direction, as if he’d expected this. Huiseo squeezed out a handful of the sunscreen he’d been holding in his hand onto his other palm. Then he began busily transferring it and applying it directly to Hwan’s face with his own hands.
“Please bear with me applying it for you today.”
He also said something strange. Bear with it?
‘But I only like it.’
In this steaming heat, it should be natural to find even touching skin dreadful due to the high discomfort index. But was this the “power of love” that the people of HwanHui’s Garden kept talking about? Far from disliking Huiseo’s hands touching his face, he liked it unbearably, so Hwan’s lips kept moving.
“…But Huiseo-ya. Don’t you think you’re applying a bit too much?”
“No. This is the right amount.”
“…Really? Does it say that?”
“Not that, but from what I’ve looked into, that’s right. Scientifically.”
“I… see.”
…Since he said “scientifically,” it was hard to refute.
Though he couldn’t confirm with a mirror, somehow watching Huiseo’s hands move ceaselessly, he could somewhat predict his appearance. Wouldn’t it be no exaggeration to call him an egg ghost? Surely it would be ridiculous.
Still, since he seemed to have looked into it separately to prevent him from getting sunburned, there was no way criticism could come out. Hwan’s gaze looking down at Huiseo standing before him became moistly wet.
Right, since he’d come for Huiseo’s sake anyway, he made a new resolution to do well.
Though he didn’t have the ability to skillfully create such opportunities on his own like his brother Kang without being asked.
‘At the very least, I shouldn’t be a hindrance.’
Of course, even that resolution collapsed helplessly from the moment they started volunteering in earnest and he made one box of potatoes with his own hands.
